REVIEW: San Andreas

SAN ANDREAS

RELEASE DATE: OUT NOW

RATED: PG-13

RATING: ****/*****

 

PREMISE: (via IMDB) In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in California, a rescue-chopper pilot makes a dangerous journey across the state in order to rescue his daughter.

 

THE PRO'S: Insanely fun, intense action sequences, amazing special effects, solid acting and writing.

 

THE CON'S: Pretty cliché most of the time, unnecessary sub-plot.

 

 

THE REVIEW:

So another year, another big disaster movie. I know the drill all too well by now, but something always draws me to these because I just enjoy them. And I must say, San Andreas not only wasn't an exception, but was a pleasant surprise.

 

The movie focuses on Ray, a helicopter pilot who is caught in the wake of the "San Andreas Fault Quake" that has been theorized about for years. Along with his ex-wife, Emma, he makes a dangerous quest from LA to San Fransisco in hopes of rescuing his daughter, Blake, who has been abandoned by her stepfather, and is seeking refuge with a pair of Brittish brothers on holiday: Ben and Ollie. Meanwhile, a group of scientists, and a reporter, attempt to warn the world that the chaos is far from over.

 

While San Andreas isn't the best disaster film out there, it's still one of the better ones. The thing that sets it apart is just how well the disaster is handled. The special effects in this movie are top-notch, and each action sequence feels more intense then the last. Particularly the entire finale sequence (which I won't give away here), is absolutely awesome and extremely suspenseful. I was gripping the edge of my seat (quite literally) the whole way through it.

 

Though the movie is cliché, and I can't say otherwise, it also does a good job with its characters. Everyone in the movie, with the exception of the stepfather, is extremely likable and human. I felt like despite the (let's face it) unrealistic actions they did, they all still were relatable on some level. And the writer here did a very good job in that respect.

 

As usual in these movies I can only really say the acting is "good". Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson does a good job as our hero, and probably was given the most to work with. While Alexandria Daddario surprised me with a really good performance. Though she did good in Percy Jackson, her other roles being not as good made me nervous. But here, she is at the top of her game, and seems to really be enjoying herself. While no one else totally stands out, everyone pulls off good enough performances that nothing detracts from the movie.

 

I will say that the biggest fault the movie has is in the character of Lawrence played by Paul Giamatti and the news crew. As fun as the character is, he really plays no significant role outside of warning everybody. Which I thought was a problem overall. His role could have easily been confined to someone on the TV or radio warning everybody. But instead, we are taken away from the actual story in order to indulge in this and it just ultimately doesn't work.

 

That being said.....

 

IN CONCLUSION:

San Andreas is not the best or most original disaster movie ever. But it IS a ton of fun, and a great time at the movies. With some good performances, and relatable characters, it is well worth the admission price. Go in there expecting something fun, and you won't be disappointed.

 

4 OUT OF 5 STARS

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED